The Charlotte Hornets’ Mark Williams is rapidly emerging as a star in the NBA. He nearly averages a double-double this season with 9.3 rebounds to go with his 14.5 points in a game. This statistic is less surprising when you find out the sport is ubiquitous in the Williams family. That is because his sister, Elizabeth Williams, is also an accomplished basketball player!

So let’s have a look at Mark Williams’ sister’s life and her hoops career in depth.

Who is Mark Williams’ sister Elizabeth? Which WNBA team does she play for? 

Elizabeth Olayato Williams, Mark’s older sister, is known for being an extremely gifted all-rounder. But her tenacious defense in particular makes her stand out in the WNBA. She was drafted in the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun as the 4th overall pick.

However, she struggled during her time at the team, initially. Subsequently, she was traded to the Atlanta Dream in 2016. And here, she was able to show why she wasn’t one to be underestimated! Elizabeth averaged 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game. Unsurprisingly, her turnaround earned her the WNBA Most Improved Player Award.

After 5 prolific years at the Dream, her stats dipped once again, and she was then traded to the Washington Mystics in 2022. But her display continued to stagnate. After spending just one year in Washington, she left them for the Chicago Sky. And she’s managed to bounce back in a big way! In the 2024 season, she averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in the 9 games she played.

Has Elizabeth represented the US National Team?

Elizabeth started basketball at age 9 when a family friend suggested it after noticing her athletic ability and height, which was above average for someone her age. She became a sensation once she joined an AAU team. At age 15, she was selected for the inaugural USA women’s U16 Basketball team in 2009. With them, she competed at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women in Mexico City.

She ended that tournament as the second-highest scorer on the team, averaging 13.4 points a game, also tying with Breanna Stewart for the most blocks per game (7). Her tryst with the National team continued as she represented Team USA at the FIBA U17 Championships in France. She then joined the U19 team at the World Championships in Chile. Oh, and did we mention that she led the team to victory, securing gold in both those tournaments?

Which university did Elizabeth Williams attend?

Elizabeth was a highly regarded prospect, as she left Princess Anne High School. Despite many colleges vying for her signature, she committed to Duke. She played for the Duke Blue Devils Women’s Basketball team from 2011 to 2015 and left as one of the most decorated players in the school’s history. 

Williams averaged 14.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists with 3.1 blocks per game during her 4 years at Duke. Her stellar defense was on full display and she swept up 4 consecutive ACC Defensive Player of the Year awards, terrifying opponents of her guarding them.

If that wasn’t enough, Elizabeth also picked up the prestigious National Defensive Player of the Year award in her senior year. She blocked an unbelievable 426 shots as a college athlete. To cement her undying legacy, Duke retired her jersey number in 2016!

So by now, you may share our opinion that Elizabeth Williams paved the way for her younger brother in basketball. Even if you don’t, the fact that she inspired her brother, at the very least, is not up for debate!